Man jailed after trying to import child-like sex doll into UK through East Midlands Airport

Louise Cooper

A man who attempted to import a child-like sex doll into Cheshire has today been jailed for two years and eight months after an investigation triggered by an incident at East Midlands Airport.

Andrew Dobson, 49, of Merrivale Road, Wistaston in Crewe, was jailed after pleading guilty at Chester Crown Court to one count of importing an indecent object, two counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing indecent images of children.

Andrew Dobson attempted to import the child sex doll

The court heard how on September 23 2016 the investigation was triggered by an incident at East Midlands Airport.

Border Force officers, acting under the direction of the Fast Parcel Joint Border Intelligence Unit, identified a parcel labelled as a mannequin, but which was found to contain an obscene child-like doll. This was addressed to Dobson and had been purchased from Hong Kong.

The package was immediately withheld and officers from Cheshire Constabulary were notified. Dobson was arrested at his home and following a search indecent images of children were found on his computer.

During his interview, Dobson admitted buying the child-like doll to use for sex and for his own sexual gratification. He also admitted downloading child abuse images and movies online.

During sentencing the Judge said he was disgusted to think that child-like sex dolls exist to be purchased on the internet and delivered anywhere in the world.

Detective Constable Andy Kent, of Cheshire Constabularies Paedophile and Cyber Investigation Unit, said: “Knowing child sex-dolls exist and are available for sex offenders to buy is sickening. For Dobson to go to great lengths to import one for his own sexual gratification shows the extent of his paraphilic interest in children.

“This conviction is the first of its kind for Cheshire, cases like these are also very rare across the country, however I want to make it clear that importing a child sex-doll is a criminal offence. Dobson should serve as an example to those who think they can also commit this crime for their own selfish needs.”

Border Force’s Julian Doughty, Senior Manager at the Fast Parcel Joint Border Intelligence Unit, said: “The Border Force detection at East Midlands Airport was the vital first step in the identification and conviction of an individual who was found to be involved in other serious offences against children.

“The importation of dolls likes this is a new phenomena and Dobson is one of the first people sentenced in the UK in relation to such an item. Working closely with law enforcement partners, Border Force is determined to bring those involved in this type of offence to justice.”